Tag Archive for Cronyism

Cronyism, Elections, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Obsolescence And The Electoral Hereafter

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gates-medcWe’re thinking Michigan’s 104th district representative Wayne Schmidt doesn’t expect to win Michigan’s 37th state senate seat in 2014.

In fact, he might have had that realization for several months now. Perhaps an angel of mercy descended at that time from the polling pearly gates, because it was in September that Schmidt, authored a bill that has yet to make it out of committee. Schmidt appears to be trying to create a quasi-government highly paid position that will be ‘tailored’ for his haberdashery retail management (suit store clerk) background, and  government experience.

“And he’s buying a stairway to heaven …”

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Michigan, Philosophy, Rent Seeking

OK, So Lets See The Other Side

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pure-somethingToo often, your local government will have advocates of money-spending that holds out the promise of jobs, or some tangible benefit that can be presented in dollars gained back for the community.

The authors of such fiction typically seek to justify their own positions of employment within that community, and possibly within the government entity itself. Axiomatically however, all of them have a stake in the outcome of the requested spending.  They will be asked for, and then will present metrics, or a presumed study of return on investment (ROI) and typically the elected leadership falls for it hook, line and sinker.

A perfect example was during a consideration of funding for the MSU extension office in Grand Traverse County when I was an elected commissioner.  County commissioners were given plenty of reading materials by the MSU advocates to show us that for every dollar spent we would see a result of $17 in benefit to the county.  The calculations as it turned out were premised on a ‘guess,’ that was then multiplied by a compounding analysis program that is used by MSU intellectuals, that relies on ‘guesses’ for the input variables.

Go. State.   ..  Yay.

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Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

Bankrupt – The Movie

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Detroit.

Cronyism, corruption, bailouts, favored status, confiscation through eminent domain, picking winners and losers.  Sound familiar?

This documentary premiered yesterday in Washington DC, and offers some historic perspective to the decline of Detroit.

Perhaps even, an explanation (a warning) of what is to come next, as long as we allow our governments to engage in corporatism; a way in which our taxpayers dollars are funneled into the pockets of special interests  and how corruption has abused Detroit, providing little benefit to those paying the bills. At one point Thomas LaDuke makes a great point about not questioning “people’s heart or motives,” but his frustration of how city residents don’t actually see how the city has been run.

Enjoy

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Cronyism, Rent Seeking

A Nation Of Takers – Divertere?

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The worst part of Rick Snyder’s MASSIVE expansion of the MEDC, and the plans in the works for the rewarding of Michigan business to resettle in Detroit, is that the money comes from elsewhere.

Central planning under ANY pretty name is STILL central planning.

 

This video by AEI is entertaining, and the messaging is spot on.  Any 8 year old could understand, but will our legislators?

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Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking

Unconstitutionality Of Energy Mandates

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Conveniently, the bigger power concerns in the state capitulated to ridiculous 10% energy mandates during the Granholm administration.

In 2012, an even MORE ridiculous 25×25 requirement was promoted (and failed) as a constitutional amendment, in a state which has a monstrous electricity appetite as a leader in manufacturing.  Now as the legislature approaches the crossroads of [Oh gosh we can’t meet the 10%!] and [What the hell happened to electricity prices?] in Michigan, another 35% ‘mandate’ pusher shows up with a ‘conservative’ emphasis and the useful idiots who have already signed on.

As soon as Michigan State Representative Mike Shirkey announced a solid-as-steel return to electricity competition in our state, the rust of cronyism began eating away at the plan. Snyder stepped up the call for increased renewable energy in the midst of the current mandate meltdown, and a new shadow group was formed with friendly ‘conservative’ faces to front it. (see useful idiot mention above)

Sometimes however, its worth looking to other experts who have a different take on such things.

Are the mandates even legal?

Thanks to the TB912, and Dining Room productions for another useful and informative video.

And On a related note: Cap Con today, has another take on this.

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Michigan Politics

Rand Paul’s Folly – Or Snyder/Paul 2016

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RandThis Is NOT Your Daddy’s ‘Paul’

Some of the ideas are familiar, but limited in ways typically embraced by establishment Republicans.

Rand Paul’s visit to Detroit was precipitated by a conference call being reported by the Detroit News. In it, Senator Paul speaks of enterprise zones, with taxes so low as to “bail yourselves out”. Adding to this an loosened visa incentive for a flow of foreign “entrepreneurs” into the city.

Paul, widely considered a 2016 potential presidential candidate, said he will introduce legislation Monday to create “economic freedom zones” by dramatically lowering taxes in depressed areas and loosen visa rules to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to immigrate to the city.“We hope to create taxes so low you essentially are able to bail yourselves out,” Paul said Thursday in a conference call outlining his plan.


So now instead of “jobs that Americans don’t want to do,” perhaps we will be talking about cities that Americans don’t want to live or work in.

I wonder how that would work?

Maybe something like this?

“Mr Chen, you are welcome to stay, invest, develop, and work in our country. However, you are limited to this particular region. If for some reason you are not satisfied there, I guess you are out of luck.”

Or in other words,

“Welcome to the Hotel Detroit. Love it, or get the hell out of our country..”

Right, somehow I can’t see THAT happening.

Which of course begs the question of what happens to those who emigrate, and decide to move somewhere a little safer than Baghdad of Michigan? When “loosening visa requirements,” it seems that a genie let out is a little hard to stuff back in the lamp. Its hard to imagine ‘restrictive’ movement placed on those who simply seek a better life, and upon finding out that Detroit is no better than the hole they left, it is highly likely that they will indeed “seek” such a place.

And it seems we have heard those words about foreigners feeling welcomed before.

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Cronyism, Detroit, Michigan, Michigan Politics, Rent Seeking, Republicans

Hellooooo, John Rakolta

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“You’ve heard of the bridge to nowhere?  Welcome to the jail for no one.”

Told ya.  You’re getting warmer, Ross.  However, that jail for no one will be gobbled up by Dan Gilbert for pennies on the dollar.

And, you’ve got a whole gaggle of MI-GOP bootlickers who watched Rakolta line his pockets, main one being, the State AG.  Next question would reasonably be, what did the wife of former State AG (Commissioner Laura Cox) know, and when did she know it?

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